Plunger aid



Sept. 22, 1953 H. J. HIX 2,652,571

PLUNGER AID Filed Jan. 26, 1949 INVENTOR. HOWARD J. H m

Patented Sept. 22, 1953 PLUNGER AID Howard J. Hix, Dearborn, Mich., assignor of twenty-five per cent to Joseph McCallion, De-

troit, Mich.

Application January 26, 1949, Serial No. 72,870

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a plunger aid and more particularly to a device for sealing, such for example as an overflow drain opening or the like during use of a plunger to free a stopped drain line.

As is well known, resilient drain plungers, when applied to wash basins having an overflow, do not do a satisfactory job in clearing the main drain line. This is because the force exerted on the water column in the stopped drain is by-passed through the line leading to the overflow intake. The conventional plunger is operated to provide an alternating pressure and partial vacuum within the drain pipe so as to dislodge the obstruction which is causing the drain line to be plugged. A similar problem is encountered when attempting to dislodge obstructions in a sewer line which is provided with two or more drain openings, such as is the case in double sinks or laundry tubs.

By the use of the plunger aid shown in the present invention, the intake of the overflow is sealed so that when a force is applied on the water column within the sewer line in a stopped drain connected with a fixture, all of the force exerted by the plunger is exerted on the water column in the main drain line. The new type plunger aid which I have invented is shown herein and uses a hemisphere of sponge rubber to seal the drain opening such as the overflow intake. A threaded rod extends through the sponge rubber hemisphere and is provided with a clamp to hold the rubber hemisphere in the engaged position. An important feature of this plunger aid is the provision of the curved finger extending through an eye in the end of the threaded rod so that it will extend through the overflow drain opening to permit clamping the device tightly in place thereby to seal the overflow during the operation of the plunger for clearing the stopped drain.

When using the plunger aid with double outlets to the drain, as is the case in laundry tubs and the like, the curved finger is removed from the device and the hemisphere of sponge rubber is secured tightly over the one drain opening while the plunger is used on the drain opening in the other tub.

While resilient plates or gaskets have been used heretofore to seal certain types of overflow openings for a similar purpose, the present application discloses novel means whereby the resilient hemispherical sealing member may be held rigidly and forcibly in place on any type of overflow opening. One of the devices herein shown for holding the seal in position is the curved finger member which is particularly designed to permit the device to be used on any type of overflow opening. The present plunger aid may be used on the flat face type of overflow openings as well as on the type which extends under an overhanging water ledge. In each of these'forms of overflow openings, the finger extends through the opening and clamps against the inside face of the overflow upon adjustment of the wing nut. The resilient sealing member is pressed tightly into position over the overflow opening and seals it against the return of water or the escape of air therefrom during the plunging operation. The mass and resiliency of the resilient material in the hemispherical sealing member is such that it will accommodate itself under pressure to variations in the shape of the exterior faces of the overflow inlet portions of such fixtures.

The plunger aid is also provided with a separate clamping means which may be used to hold it over one of a plurality of drain outlets, as encountered in laundry tubs where it is not convenient to use the curved finger above described. In this case the plunger aid is provided with an adjustable arm adapted to engage an external portion of the faucet or the like provided on such fixture.

It is, accordingly, a primary object of the present invention to provide a universal type plunger aid which may be used to seal any type of overflow opening ordinarily encountered in fixtures whose outlet drain lines are to be cleared by a plunging operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a plunger aid of the above type which is particularly adapted to close one of a plurality of connected drain openings as for example, in a double sink or in a laundry tub in order that one of the drain openings may be closed while applying pressure on the other opening with a conventional type of plunger.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a plunger aid embodying the present invention and having portions broken away for clarity an showing the device secured in position to an overflow drain inlet.

Fig. 2 is a left end elevation of the plunger aid shown in Fig. 1 and showing its use with a fixture having a grated overflow opening shown in phantom.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the plunger aid of the present invention shown in use with a double opening drain and showing the upwardly extending telescoping arm in engagement with the mixing valve device used on the plumbing fixture.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top elevation of the plunger aid shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the plunger aid shown in Fig. 3 and showing the resilient hemispherical sealing portion of the device in section.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

As shown in Fig. 1 the plunger aid is provided with a resilient hemispherical seal I0, preferably formed of sponge rubber. The seal I is provided with a central opening therein through which the threaded rod II extends. The threaded rod is provided on one end with an elongated slot I2 adapted to receive an arcuate spring finger member I3. The finger member I3 is comprised of a pair of spring strips I4 and I5 as shown particularly in Fig. 2 having one end of each strip secured together as by the rivet I6. The finger member I3 is slidable in a transverse direction within the slot I2 and may move pivotally relative thereto. The strips I4 and I5 are sprung outwardly to resiliently engage the sides of the slot I2 in the threaded rod II.

The resilient sealing member I0 is movable relative to the rod II in response to pressures exerted thereon by movement of the wing nut 28 which engages with the screw threads of the rod II and bears against the pressure plate H. The pressure plate [1 is provided with a central opening of a sufficient size to allow free axial movement of the plate I7 relative to the threaded rod II.

A double end internally threaded coupling I8 is secured to the end of the threaded rod I I and permits a connecting rod I9 of a telescoping arm to be connected therewith when the device is to be used to seal one of a plurality of connected drain openings, as for example, in a laundry tub. The telescoping arm comprises a connecting rod I9 having one end 20 threaded into the coupling I8 and having the other end 2 I extending into a bore 22 in the elbow 23. A collar 24 is secured to the bored end of the elbow 23. A thumb screw 25 is threaded into the collar and is adapted in its operative position to have the inner end thereof frictionally engage the connecting rod I9 to hold the telescoping arm in any of its adjusting positions. The transverse portion 26 of the elbow is provided on its upper surface with a plurality of transverse serrations or teeth 21 shown particularly in Figures 4 and 5.

When using the plunger aid to seal an overfiow opening, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wing nut 28 is first moved in a directionaway from the arcuate finger member I3, the finger member I3 is moved within slot I2 so that the expanded end lies within the slot and the finger member lies back along the rod II. The end of rod I I carrying the expanded or separated end of the finger member is then inserted in'the overflow drain opening and the threaded rod II is positioned at one extreme of the opening. The fingermember is then moved manually within the slot I2 to allow the opposite end of the finger member to pass through the overflow opening. The rod II may then be moved within the opening to a position wherein the finger member spans theopening andhas each end in abutting relation with the inside face of the overflow opening. Adjustment of the wing nut will thus press the resilient sealing member In tightly into position over the overflow opening to seal it against the return of water or the escape of air therefrom during the plunging operation.

When using the plunger aid to seal one of a plurality of connected drain openings, as, vfor example, in a twin laundry tub or the like, the finger member is removed. As shown in Fig. 3, the resilient sealing member I0 is positioned over the opening to be sealed and the telescoping arm is adjusted to a position wherein the transverse portion 25 of the elbow extends below a portion of the fixture. The thumb screw 25 is tightened to prevent relative movement between the connecting rod and the elbow. The wing nut is then adjusted downwardly to force the resilient sealing member tightly over the drain opening. The serrations on the transverse portion of the elbow provide a gripping surface for positive engagement between the plunger aid and a lower portion of the fixture to prevent accidental displace,- ment after adjustment of the plunger aid.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A plunger aid for the sealing of an overflow opening in a drain system and comprising a resilient sealing member adapted to cover the opening, a rod extending through said sealing member and having an elongated slot in one end thereof, an arcuate finger member positioned Within said slot and movable in a transverse direction to said rod and pivotal relative thereto so that said finger member will lie back along said rod to facilitate the insertion of the end of said rod in said opening, and means on said rod for moving said sealing member towards said finger member to seal the said overflow drain opening.

HOWARD J. HIX.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 521,470 Johnson June 19, 1894 545,857 Fritz Sept. 3, 18.95

1,563,743 Hazelwood Dec. 1, 1925 1,903,129 Peterson Mar. 28, 19.33 2,036,614 Tharp Apr. 7, 1936 2,473,689 Colstad June 21, 1949 2,577,586 Maguire Dec. 4, 1951 

